Scandinavian Comfort Food

Danish cook Trine Hahnemann wants you to let some hygge into your life and she’s written Scandinavian Comfort Food (Quadrille Publishing) to help.

Hahnemann describes hygge as the atmosphere created by hanging out. It can occur anywhere, alone or with company, and go on for hours, as long as the ambience is relaxed and intimate.

A long, formal dinner with high-end service would never be considered hyggelig; an evening at a friend’s, eating, relaxing, tuning in and out to read the paper or watch TV, and then eating again, would. Hygge alone might involve a candle, a cup of tea, a movie or a book.

Danes use the word hygge and hyggelig all the time, but, most importantly, they feel it. Cooking plays an important role when the food is comforting and makes you feel good. The dishes here will do just that.